10 Tips for When You Can’t Find a Job After College

In an ideal world, every college graduate would find their dream job immediately. However, this is simply not the case and many students find themselves struggling to find work. With student loans to pay back and living expenses to cover this is a stressful situation to find yourself in, which is why we’ve put together these tips for what to do when you can’t find a job after college.

1 – Reduce Your Living Costs

If you can’t find a job after college, one of the most pressing issues is going to be your financial situation. How are you going to feed yourself and keep a roof over your head? The first step is to look at ways to reduce your living costs. You might want to think about moving back home if it is an option as this will drastically reduce your living costs. You can also defer your student loans and work out a strict budget for the next few months to make the money you do have last.

2 – Apply for Job

It might seem like a bit of a no brainer, but you won’t find work if you are not applying for jobs. It is easy to get disheartened and give up after a few rejections, but you must keep your eye on the prize. Apply for every single job that comes up. You should be sending out resumes and filling out applications daily. If you don’t have job experience, you should read some tips on how to write resume with no job experience. Don’t forget that it’s a good idea to ask professionals to write your resume. Also, don’t forget to write multiple cover letters suited to different jobs.

3 – Give Yourself a Social Media Audit

One reason why you can’t find a job after college could be that your social media profile is putting potential employers off! It is increasingly common for employers to look up potential candidates on social media. If your profile is littered with drunken snapshots at the dorm parties, then you could be giving the wrong impression. Take a little time to remove anything that could be potentially off-putting and start sharing some of your other interests.

4 – Spend Some Time Networking

Sometimes, when it comes to finding a job its not what you know, its who you know! If you can’t find a job after college then you need to start networking. Attend career fairs, college alumni events, networking luncheons and conferences. It is also a good idea to join LinkedIn if you haven’t already. Start getting to know the movers and shakers in your chosen industry and they might just thrown you a bone when a job opportunity arises!

5 – Consider Staying in School

If it is beginning to look like you are not going to find a job when you graduate, you do have the option of returning to school for some additional qualifications. This may not be an ideal situation, but it could pay off in the long run.

6 – Broaden Your Job Search

If you can’t find a job after college then you may need to broaden your job search. If there is nothing available in terms of your dream job, think about other jobs within the same industry that you might also enjoy. Sometimes working within the industry of choice can get your foot in the door. For example, even taking an admin role in a pharmaceutical company could potentially put you on the road to a laboratory job.

7 – Work Part Time

If broadening your search within the industry doesn’t work, then you may need to cast the net even wider. You may not have envisioned working part time in retail or fast food after completing your degree but taking a part time job will at least allow you to bring in some money while you search for the dream job. Part time hours also mean you still have plenty of time for job hunting. If you are lucky, maybe you can find something part time that relates loosely to your ideal career which will give you something to build upon.

8 – Volunteer to Gain Experience

Another common reason why you can’t find a job after college is that many employers want people with experience. This creates a catch 22 situation where you can’t get a job without experience, but you can’t get experience because nobody will give you a job. The answer is to volunteer! Offer to work for free in your chosen field either as part of an internship or just given up a few hours a week. This will get you experience in the industry which will help strengthen your resume. However, you should know that there are more benefits of volunteering besides getting experience.

9 – Start a Blog

Sometimes, you just need to find ways to put yourself out there. If you truly have an interest in the industry you want to work in, then why not start a blog about it? Get your name out there and position yourself as an expert in your field. It may take a little effort to grow your audience and build a healthy following on social media, but once your name is out there you may well find job offers coming to find you rather than you having to hunt them down. However, a word of caution. This is not the easy route to finding a job. It takes hard work and dedication.

10 – Start Your Own Business

Finally, if you have exhausted all other options and you still can’t find a job after college, why not consider starting your own business? Think about the skills you possess and how you can market them. If you are a great academic writer, you could try freelance editing or journalism. Computer wizards might start their own IT company. The possibilities are endless. Here’s a small guide on how to become entrepreneur while you’re still student.

In conclusion, if you can’t find a job after college, try not to be too hard on yourself. It is not always easy to get started in your chosen career and you may need to make a few changes along the way. One thing to remember is that your lack of employment is not necessarily your fault. Do not give up hope, a little persistence is sure to pay off in the end and you will soon find your way in life. Good luck!